Wednesday, December 12, 2012

A pelican is a large bird - as big or bigger than a turkey - with a broad wingspan - about 6 feet (two meters) - and getting all that weight into the air without a runway or handy cliff-side must be an incredible effort. Pelicans manage, however, and make it look easy, launching themselves and flying low over the surface of the water with lazy grace. Above is the small rocky island in Victoria's Inner Harbour favoured by the pelicans for a perch to rest and groom themselves. Check out the video below (42 seconds long) of our Brown Pelicans taking off to find some lunch.

3 comments:

I LOL'd at the 'island' (as in Caribbean) music in the background of your video.

My wife and I just got back from Playa del Carmen. We spent a few days on the beach and I watched the pelicans diving for fish in the water. I was always surprised they didn't snap a wing or a neck considering how hard they hit the water...

Hi Mike - yes the pelicans make me think of the tropics - I used to see them in Africa when I lived there - hence the tropical music. It's pleasant to ignore the bonechilling weather we've been having - even if only for 42 seconds.

Situated on the far west coast of Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is the capital city of the Province of British Columbia. Its benign climate (the warmest winters in Canada) and placid lifestyle make it a favorite retirement location as well as a popular tourist destination. About 400,000 people live in Victoria and adjacent communities.Click the photos to see them larger!